i68 THE JOURNEY TO LADAKH 



the village of Maya, on the opposite bank, came into 

 view ; that is to say, three donkeys in a patch of green 

 field — I saw no houses. The ferry-boat and the yaks 

 from Neuma were to have been ready here for me, as I 

 had sent on a man from Eokcheu to arrange, and 

 had sent Sarap with the messenger whom I met returning, 

 to see the matter was arranged ; but we continued our 

 journey till we came to the ford opposite Neuma, and no 

 yaks or men were yet in sight — in fact, not a living creature 

 of any kind. We therefore pitched camp and awaited 

 developments, Sarap arrived at eight o'clock with the 

 animals and men, and reported that the messenger had 

 never gone to Neuma, nor given the order for carriage. 

 The people of Ei'ikshu are said to be the highest dwellers 

 in the world, and, in my experience, also the tallest liars, 

 as witness this instance. Query — What has made these 

 gentle and elevated shepherds what they are ? It cannot 

 be the degenerating influences of the outer world — -their 

 bleak country effectually protects them from such contamina- 

 tion — it must be natural. 



We crossed the stream next morning, the men taking the 

 things over on their backs through water up to their thighs ; 

 on the other side we repacked the yaks and went down 

 the right bank, reversing yesterday's journey, and so losing 

 a day. I shot a kiang on this march : he was hit in the 

 right shoulder at 225 yards, and took the shot without 

 flinching, but rolled over before he had gone twenty-five 

 yards. My shooting him was partly due to my wish to 

 examine one of these animals at close quarters, and partly 

 to try the range of the rifle — a double Express — which I 

 bought in a hurry just before starting. It is a pity to 

 shoot them, and no sportsman should bag more than a 

 single specimen. I never fired at them again, though the 

 aggravating creatures spoiled many a stalk after nyan. 



